Quick-release cargo container



Feb. 9, 1954 N. w. CARLSON 2, 3, 3

QUICK-RELEASE CARGO CONTAINER Filed Sept. 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. W (I?! 5411/ Feb. 9, 1954 w. CAR LSQN 2,668,732

QUICK-RELEASE CARGO CONTAINER Filed Sept. 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /.9 1 i 2 25 gr I INVENTOR. maze/.5 n. 69161.50

K BY

Patented Feb. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES ,ATENT OFFICE 4GrantedunderTitle 35,11. S. Code (1952.),

see. 266) Claims.

The invention described. herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmentalpurposes without payment to me of any royalt thereon.

This invention relates to quick release devices and more particularly to a quick release device for cargo containers adapted to be quickly easily secured around a container body for supporting the container from a parachute, when dropped-from anairplane in flight.

The device comprises "an enclosing web or strap structure for encircling containers of different sizes and shapes and includes quick -releasable means for freeing the ends of the webs so that the container can easily be removed from the 'web for the immediate access to its contents.

More specifically, the improved device utilizes two parallel spaced tubular bars which are detachably connected together near their ends by .rquick releasable securing means with spacer members interposed between the bars and detacha'ble from at least one of the bars, but adapted to secure the bars together in proper alignment, the encircling cargo straps being secured at ach end to each of the cars or to certain of the spacer'members, with the lifting webs adapted to :be secured to the parachute at their "upper ends and removably secured to certain other spacer members at their lower ends, strap adjusting means being interposed intermediate the length of the straps for individual adjustment of the straps around the container, a simple releasing retainer means being provided for relcasably securing the spacer members to one of the bars while the spacer members are fixedly secured'to the other bar. The end spaced memhers are formed with reduced notched-out portions which enter suitable aligned openings in the paralle1 load sustaining bars and the release means comprises plug members for entering the ends of the bars and engaging the notched-out portions to prevent separation of the bars, resilient means being provided to retain the interlocking portions of the plug members in engagement with the notches.

The straps form an inclosing harness or sling with multiple side and end loops, the side loops each being anchored to the bars at their opposite ends and extending transversely to the straps which are connected to the spacers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which like several figures.

2 Drawings Figure l is a perspective view of my improved quick release cargo container illustrating the same secured around a conventional cargo receptacle and suspended from above, as for vinstance, from the suspension Webs of a conventional cargo parachute (not shown) I;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figurs 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but taken on line t-l of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a horizontal fragmentary sectional view taken about on the line 5-5 of Figure 2; and,

Figure 6 is a vertical fragmentar section view taken on line 5% of Figure 5.

Referring to Figure 1, the reference numeral 5 indicates a cargo receptacle which. is protected by a tarpaulin of suitable wrapping 2 and suspended from above, as for instance, by parachute having suspension straps 3 with snap rings 4, engagin o rings 15 secured to the upper ends of lifting straps or webs '5 which are attached to the quick releasable cargo container or harness.

The quick releasable device comprises a pair of elongated tubular bars I and it maintained in spaced parallel relation by two pairs of spacer members 8 and 20 located adjacent each end of the bars. These spacer members are preferably in the form of a cylindrical rod I 5, having a eentrally located enlarged cylindrical spacer portion l2. The bar 1 is provided with ali ned apertures for receiving the rod. members, each having a nut or head portion iii to retain the spacer members on this bar.

The other bar it is provided with similar aligns: registering apertures it for receiving the end portions it of the spacer members. The two spacer a are notched at opposite sides near their ends to provide stop shoulders l5 which are located within the bar 8 and between the aligned apertures of that bar when the bars are assembled.

The means for releasably retaining the end portions G5 in the bar it comprises plug members it? which are insertable in the opposite of the har 8. Each of these plug members is formed with a bifurcated extension is providing locking fingers is and 29 disposed to engage the shoulders It when the two bars 1 andB are as sembled and the plugs are inserted in the ends of the bars. Projecting inwardly alongside of the bifurcated portion 18 is a retainer spring 2! adapted to snap over the circular portions of the spacer members 9 between the stop shoulders I6 and their extremities. Suitable pull straps 22 are secured to the outer faces of the plugs 11 for withdrawing the fingers from an engagement with the stop shoulders to free the two bars. Elongated end and side strap members 23 and 24 are provided for encircling the cargo receptacle in transverse intersecting planes, these strap members E l being fastened at their opposite ends respectively to the bars 1 and 3, while the ends of the strap member 23 extend under the spacer members 9 in the transverse direction and are connected to the spacer members it, th lifting webs 6 being secured to the spacer members 8. Suitable buckles 25 are provided intermediate the ends of the straps 23 and M; for adjusting the lengths of the encircling loops so as to fit different size cargo containers.

More specifically the straps 24 each comprise a short strap portion 24a having a loop 2% at one end which encircles one or the other of the tubular bar members a and 3, as shown in the drawings, and the other end has the buckle thereon, the opposite ends of the remaining portions 240 of the straps being inserted into the buckles and drawn tight to inclose that portion of the cargo container. The end or transverse strap members 23 are substantially the same and consist of the short strap portion indicated at 26, having a looped end portion 26a adapted to be slipped over the enlarged portion of the spacer members ill and passes under the spacer member 9, the opposite end of each having one of the buckles 25 secured thereto for connecting the portion 2? of the end strap member.

The two transverse strap members at the opposite ends of the bars are retained in their positions intermediate the two spacer members 9 and I9 and clip members 28 extend across the intermediate transverse strap member or members to secure these straps in position intermediate the two end straps.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the tarpaulin or covering is preferably provided with web members 29 and 3t thereon to provide loops for the passage therethrough of the end strap portions 21.

When a cargo container, as illustrated in Figure 1, is dropped from an airplane and is deposited on the ground it is only necessary to grip the two pull straps 22 and jerk them to withdraw the plugs l i. This withdraws the fingers 20 from interlocking engagement with the shoulders I6 on-the reduced extremities of the spacer members 9, freeing the two bar members 1 and 8. These bars can then be quickly separated and the loops of the strap members 23 can be slipped oil of the spacer members Ill, completely freeing the harness or sling structure from the container. Following this, the container can be opened quickly to gain access to the interior.

What I claim is:

1. In a quick release cargo container sling, a pair of rigid elongated substantially parallel spaced supporting bar members, a plurality of rigid spacing members disposed between the elongated supporting bar members and each rigidly secured to one of the bar members, quick release securing means detachably connecting the spacer members rigidly to the other of the elongated supporting bar members for securing the supporting bar members to each other iii spaced parallel rigid relation for encircling a cargo container, said strap members each having opposite end portions, one of said end portions of each strap member being secured to one of the elongated supporting bar members and the other end portion of each strap bar member being secured to the other elongated supporting member.

2. In a quick release cargo, encircling and supporting sling, a pair of elongated substantially parallel spaced tubular supporting bars, a plurality of rigid spacing members interposed between the bars at longitudinally spaced points thereon and rigidly secured to one of the bars, quick releasable interlocking means connected between the other bar and each of the spacer means, an elongated cargo encircling strap member having each of its opposite ends looped to encircle and receive one of the spacer members therein, a plurality of cargo encircling strap members disposed in a transverse direction to the strap member just mentioned, each strap-member thereof having a looped portion at one end encircling and receiving one of the tubular supporting bar members therethrough, and the looped portion at its opposite end thereof encircling and receiving the other of the tubular supporting bar members.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which strap retaining clip members are provided on the tubular supporting bars straddling the looped end portions of the strap members encircling the tubular supporting bar members for resisting displacement of the looped portions longitudinally on the bar members.

i. In a quick releasable cargo sling, a pair of elongated parallel tubular supporting bars, at least one or the bars having aligned transverse apertures therethrough adjacent both ends thereof and aligned transverse apertures in said one of the bars intermediate the aforesaid aligned apertures and the central position of the bars, end and intermediate spacer members fixed to the other bar having reduced projecting extremities removably fitting the aligned apertures to maintain the bars in parallel spaced relation to each other, retainer plug members removably insertable in the opposite ends of the bar member having the aligned apertures therein, each of said plug members having means projecting therefrom into releasable interlocking engagement with the reduced projecting extremities of the spacer members adjacent the ends of the bars and intermediate the aligned apertures for releasably retaining the projecting extremities in the aligned apertures to prevent separation of the tubular bar members and retain the intermediate spacer members in the intermediate aligned apertures in the bar, a strap member connected to each end of each of the tubular supporting bars intermediate the end and intermediate spacer members and a buckle member secured to the opposite end of each strap member, transversely disposed strap members adapted to be connected to the opposite ends of a cargo sustaining strap adapted to be connected to a parachute, said last mentioned straps each having a looped end portion surrounding one of the end spacer members at each end of the supporting bars.

5. In a quick detachable cargo container sling, a pair of tubular parallel supporting bars, one of said bars having a pair of transversely aligned apertures therein adjacent its opposite ends and a second pair of transversely aligned apertures adjacent each of the first transverse apertures intermediate the same and the middle portion of the apertured tubular bar, spacer members fixed to the other of said bars, each having an enlarged portion for. spacing the bars apart and formed with a reduced extremity slidably received in each pair of aligned apertures, retainer plug members removably inserted in the opposite ends of the tubular bar having the aligned apertures therein, said plugs having locking projections extending therefrom into withdrawable interlocking engagement with the first mentioned spacer members reduced extremities, resilient retainer means operable between the plug members and the reduced extremities of the spacer members for yieldably retaining the locking projection of the plug members in interlocking engagement with the reduced extremities, each strap member having a looped extremity encircling each end portion of each of the supporting bars intermediate each of the ends and adjacent the end spacer members, buckle members secured to the opposite end of each of the strap members for connection to a cargo sling strap, a pair of cargo supporting transverse strap members, each having a looped end portion surrounding the spacer members adjacent the ends of the bar members for connection at their opposite end to a sustaining parachute, and an additional pair of strap members having looped portions at one end surrounding the other spacer members, said last mentioned strap members each having a buckle member thereon at its end for receiving the opposite ends of a cargo sustaining sling strap in transverse relation to the other cargo sling straps.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim in which the reduced extremities of the spacer members, adjacent the ends of the tubular bar members are formed with a notched-out portion located intermediate the aligned apertures receiving that extremity, and the locking projections of the plug member project into interlocking engagement with the notched-out portion.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which the opposite sides of the reduced extremities of the spacer members adjacent the ends of the tubular bar members and intermediate its aligned apertures therein are notched-out on its opposite sides to provide stop shoulders and the plug interlocking projections are bifurcated to provide locking tongues removably interengaging the notched-out portions and stop shoulders of the spacer member extensions.

8. In a quick release device for a cargo container, a pair of tubular, parallel, spaced bars, one of said bars having a pair of cylindrical spacer members projecting laterally therefrom at each end, said extensions having concentric reduced, cylindrical projections therefrom, at least one of the spacers of each pair having notches at opposite sides thereof to provide looking shoulders, the other of said tubular bars having spaced pairs of aligned apertures extending transversely therethrough in position to receive the spacer member cylindrical extensions therethrough with the notched-out portions located within the apertured bar, locking members slidable axially within the apertured bar each having a locking tongue fixed thereon to engage the locking shoulder to lock the spacer extension to the bar when the locking member is moved toward the spacer extension and to disengage and free the spacer when the locking member is moved in the opposite direction, and cargo encircling sling strap means having its ends connected respectively to the two bars.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 including an additional cargo encircling sling strap disposed in a plane transverse to the aforesaid sling straps with its opposite end removably connected to the cylindrical spacer members.

10.,Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which the respective end connections each comprise a looped portion at the end of the straps encircling the respective tubular bar members and the cylindrical spacer members.

NORRIS W. CARLSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 83,667 Smith Nov. 3, 1868 2,295,590 Manson et a1. Sept. 15, 1942 2,314,881 Helmick Mar. 30, 1943 2,545,248 Winzen et a1. Mar. 13, 1951 

